Ed Hochuli's off-season law practice pulled him out of town unexpectedly, away from Tuesday's Sports Officiating Summit.
The Tucson native was slated to discuss his controversial incomplete pass call in a Sept. 14 NFL game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. In the days following the call, Hochuli admitted his mistake, even e-mailing angry fans his apology.
His replacement Tuesday in a four-person panel discussion called, "We Don't Talk About Judgment Calls," was Jerry Markbreit, a four-time Super Bowl official who jokingly flexed his biceps, mimicking the muscle-bound Hochuli.
But Markbreit had something in common with Hochuli. Now the NFL's assistant supervisor of officials, Markbreit talked about his own mistaken call. He said he figures it helps teach a lesson to the 1,000 or so officials at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa.
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"In a way, you make a positive about a negative," he said.
Here's a look at Markbreit's nightmare play — and what he and others can learn from it:
What: "The Holy Roller"
What happened?: With 10 seconds remaining in a game between San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders on Sept. 10, 1978, Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler dropped back to pass from the 14-yard line.
Down six points, Stabler was in the process of being sacked when he flung the ball forward. Running back Pete Banaszak hit it toward the end zone, and tight end Dave Casper fell on it for a touchdown. The Raiders won 21-20.
What went wrong: Stabler admitted after the game he purposely fumbled the ball forward. Markbreit, in his second year, was behind the quarterback and didn't see a flip forward.
"It was terrible," Markbreit said. "I've thought about it for my whole career. I still think about it. But making mistakes makes you a better official."
The aftermath: Markbreit stayed in the locker room for two hours to avoid fan ire. He even changed his name at his hotel room.
"When you make a call and it's wrong," he said, "you want to die."
The game was broadcast on national television. Today, he said, media attention only magnifies the scrutiny of officials.
"The minute a mistake is made, it's televised everywhere in the world," he said. "In the old days, you had 60-millimeter film, and you couldn't even see it."
The lesson: "If you're around long enough, every possible thing will happen to you," he said. "It's part of the business. It's not all smooth sailing. There's nobody perfect. I always tell (the other officials), 'The men that work the playoffs, the championship games, the Super Bowl, are the people that make the fewest mistakes. No one goes through the season without making mistakes. Not mistake — mistakes, plural.' "
The "Holy Roller" inspired a rules change. An aspect of the fumble rule has been changed, too, after Hochuli's call.
"Someone has to be in charge of everything, and officials are," Markbreit said. "Coaches know, but they also expect you to be perfect. If you fail to live up to their expectations, they're upset about it.
"You just go with the philosophy of doing the best you can."
